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Nissan car production continues ahead of an announcement by President and CEO Makoto Uchida for further electric vehicle production at the Nissan plant on November 24, 2023 in Sunderland, England. The Japanese car manufacturer announce they will be building three new electric car models at its plant in Sunderland as part of a £2bn investment.
Nissan has announced they will build three new EV models at its Sunderland plant in the UK.

Ian Forsyth / Getty

  • Nissan announced that it would invest billions in its UK EV business.
  • The Japanese company said it would build three EV models in its UK factory as part of the deal.
  • The investment provides a much-needed boost to the UK's auto industry. 

The Japanese car manufacturer Nissan announced on Friday that it would invest £2 billion, which is around $2.5 billion, in its electric vehicle (EV) business in the UK.

The company said that it would build three EV models at its Sunderland plant in the northeast of England and that it would also build a third battery factory as part of the deal.

Electric versions of the Qashqai, Juke, and LEAF models will be produced in the UK, the company said, adding that it was "great news" for its 7,000 UK employees.

It takes Nissan's total proposed investment in the region to £3 billion, or around $3.8 billion, after the company already pledged $1 billion.

The news comes following the company's September announcement that it planned to sell only electric vehicles in Europe by 2030.

"Electric vehicles are at the heart of our plans to achieve carbon neutrality. With electric versions of our core European models on the way, we are accelerating towards a new era for Nissan, for industry and for our customers," Nissan's CEO Makoto Uchida said while announcing the plans to employees.

Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is shown a Qashqai car on the production line during a visit to the Nissan plant in Sunderland, north east England on November 24, 2023, where the Japanese vehicle manufacturer announced it will produce electric models of two best-selling cars. Japanese auto giant Nissan announced Friday it would invest up to £2 billion in UK electric car manufacturing, which the government touted as a sign of confidence in the sector
Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is shown a Qashqai car on the production line during a visit to the Nissan plant in Sunderland, November 2023.

IAN FORSYTH / Getty

It's welcome news for an industry that has struggled in the wake of the UK's 2016 vote to leave the European Union. The industry has also been boosted this year by pledged investments from Jaguar and Land Rover owner Tata and BMW.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak also hailed the news, saying: "Making the UK the best place to do business is at the heart of our economic plan."

"We will continue to back businesses like Nissan to expand and grow their roots in the UK every step of the way as we make the right long term decisions for a brighter future," he added.

Nissan did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment, which was made outside of normal working hours.

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Nissan is ramping up its UK EV business with a $2.5 billion investment